Partner

So Dean fired his campaign manager Joe Trippi, which I can understand. But why on earth is he still using Joe Trippi’s media company to produce his campaign’s advertisements? Everyone says they suck. There must be something wrong with them, since they cost millions more than Kerry’s ads, but don’t work.

Figures from a rival campaign, confirmed by the independent Campaign Media Analysis Group, which tracks advertising spending, show that Dr. Dean has spent roughly $9.2 million in advertising since June, more than $2 million above the next highest advertiser, Senator John Kerry, who spent $6.9 million, the figures show. Nearly $6 million of Dr. Dean’s campaign money went to advertisements in Iowa and New Hampshire, where Dr. Dean finished third and second, respectively

And did Dean’s supporters know that Joe Trippi was collecting commissions of up to 15% on those $9.2 million (in leu of salary)?

Tricia Enright, the campaign’s communications director, said Dr. Dean was forming“a new creative team” to overhaul its television advertisements. She said the campaign was not firing its media firm, in which Mr. Trippi is a partner. Many Dean supporters have been critical of the ad campaign, particularly in Iowa. Some questioned the arrangements by which Mr. Trippi forfeited a salary as a campaign manager but collected commissions — said to be as high as 15 percent in some cases — based on advertising buys.